'■w 


HON.  ABBOTT  LAWRENCE’S  CORRESPONDENCE 
WITH  THE  HON.  DANIEL  WEBSTER,  ON 
CHEAP  OCEAN  POSTAGE. 


. [Hi  u 1 

To  the  Friends  of  Cheap  Ocean  Postage,  throughout  the  United  States . 

Your  attention  is  now  called  to  the  necessity  of  re<Li|Jk]g 
the  rates  of  ocean  postage,  which  have  long  been  felt  an  intolerable 
burden  by  all  who  have  correspondence  with  the  Old  World. 
The  important  Document  now  placed  before  you  shows  that  it  has 
occupied  the  attention  of  distinguished  minds  in  Europe,  and  has 
been  the  subject  of  diplomatic  correspondence  between  the  Gov- 
ernment and  our  late  minister  to  the  Court  of  St.  James.  Mr. 
Lawrence,  in  his  letter  to  Mr.  Webster,  has  shown  that  he  under- 
stands and  feels  the  importance  of  cheap  ocean  postage,  and  his 
facts  and  arguments  are  worthy  of  the  attentive  consideration  of 
all  classes,  and  especially  of  those  who  have  the  power  to  remedy 
the  evil  complained  of. 

Let  us  look  at  the  rates  of  postage  now  imposed  on  letters  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Great  Britain.  The  postage  on  a 
single  letter  sent  in  a Mail  steamer  is  twenty-four  cents ; if  it 
weighs  over  half  an  ounce  and  under  an  ounce,  forty-eight  cents', 
and  should  it  weigh  the  smallest  fraction  over  an  ounce,  it  will 
be  charged  ninety  six  cents  ! A letter,  if  conveyed  by  a sailing  ves- 
sel to  Great  Britain,  will  cost  sixteen  cents , and  when  brought 
from  thence  to  the  United  States,  the  postage  is  twenty-two  cents  ! 
Hence  little  is  gained  by  sending  letters  in  sailing  vessels;  for  by 
either  conveyance  the  postage  is  enormous.  But  this  is  not  the 
only  tax.  On  the  continent  of  Europe  there  is  an  additional  in- 
land postage,  varying  according  to  the  rates  exacted  by  the  differ- 
ent governments,  so  that  a letter  sent  to,  or  from  France  or  Ger- 
many, before  it  arrives  at  its  place  of  destination,  is  liable  to  two 
or  three  additional  postages.  By  a recent  treaty  with  Prussia, 
the  postage  to  that  kingdom  has  been  fixed  at  thirty  cents , which  is 
at  least  six  times  more  than  it  should  be.  The  postage  to  France 
via  England,  is  enormous.  The  charge  on  a letter  weighing  half 
an  ounce,  between  Dover  and  Calais,  two  ports  within  sight  of 


2 


each  other,  is  thirty-one  cents  ! which  added  to  the  charge  from 
New  York  to  Liverpool  is  fifty-five  cents. 

The  freight  charged  for  carrying  letters,  compared  with  other 
articles  of  value,  is  exorbitant.  The  Liverpool  mail  steamers  car- 
ry goods  for  thirty-seven  dollars  and  fifty  cents  per  ton,  while  a 
ton  of  letters,  at  the  rate  of  twenty-four  cents  the  half  ounce,  pays 
the  enormous  sum  of  fifteen  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty  dol- 
lars ! and  yet  no  more  care  is  required  for  bags  of  letters  than  for 
boxes  and  bales  of  silks  or  calicoes.  Our  finest  packet  ships  will 
carry  a barrel  of  flour  to  Liverpool,  weighing  two  hundred  pounds, 
for  forty-five  or  fifty  cents , but  two  hundred  pounds  of  letters  by 
the  same  ship  will  be  charged  ten  hundred  and  twenty-four  dol- 
lars! Even  at  the  rate  of  two  cents  postage,  the  freight  paid 
will  be  twelve  hundred  and  eighty  dollars  per  ton,  a sum  vastly 
disproportioned  to  that  charged  on  other  articles  of  freight. 

According  to  recent  information  the  number  of  transatlantic 
letters  conveyed  by  Steamers  and  sailing  vessels, during  the  past 
year,  was  about  four  and  a half  millions,  and  the  postage  collected 
on  them,  nearly  one  million  of  dollars.  One-fourth  of  these  were 
mercantile  or  business  letters,  the  other  three-fourths  were  letters 
of  friendship.  Here  then  we  see  that  a tax  of  three-quarters  of  a 
million  of  dollars  is  levied  on  the  exercise  of  the  social  affections,  and 
paid  principally  by  the  most  indigent  classes  of  our  country.  It  now 
^ costs  a poor  laboring  man  nearly  the  price  of  a day’s  work  to  sena 
a letter  and  receive  an  answer  to  it,  from  his  friends  in  Europe! 

Let  us  contrast  the  difference  between  inland  and  ocean  postage. 
In  Great  Britain  a letter  is  conveyed  to  any  part  of  the  United 
Kingdom  for  two  cents , and  in  the  United  States  any  distance 
under  three  thousand  miles  for  three  cents , but  a letter,  carried 
three  thousand  miles  by  water,  from  one  country  to  the  other,  is 
charged  twenty-four  cents , and  if  it  weighs  a fraction  over  an 
ounce  it  must  pay  quadruple  this  rate,  or  ninety-six  cents ! 

The  object  of  this  circular  is  to  place  before  you  these  facts, 
which  are  sufficient  to  awaken  your  attention  to  the  necessity  of 
reducing  the  rates  of  ocean  postage.  The  advantages  that 
would  result  from  a reduction  to  two  cents  are  incalculable.  No 
one  can  fully  estimate  the  religious,  moral,  literary,  commercial, 
national  benefits,  which  would  follow  the  adoption  of  this  rate  of 
postage,  and,  in  view  of  this,  the  Christian,  the  philanthropist,  the 
statesman  and  merchant  should  co-operate  in  the  accomplishment 
of  this  all-important  measure. 

The  question  is,  what  can  be  done  to  effect  this  object?  I 


answer  : 


3 


9 


1.  Prepare  a petition  and  get  your  immediate  friends  and  neigh  - 
bors to  sign  it.  Any  person  who  can  write  is  competent  to  pre- 
pare a petition,  couched  in  respectful  terms,  asking  Congress  to 
reduce  the  rates  of  ocean  postage  to  two  cents. 

2.  When  the  petition  is  signed  by  all  you  can  obtain,  both  male 
and  female,  old  and  young,  because  all  sexes  and  ages  are  inter- 
ested in  cheap  postage,  then  send  it  by  mail  to  Washington,  ad- 
dressed to  the  member  of  Congress  from  your  district,  or  to  either 
of  the  Senators  from  your  State,  requesting  him  to  present  it  im- 
mediately to  Congress. 

3.  If  practicable,  call  a public  meeting  in  your  town  or  village, 
and  adopt  resolutions  requesting  your  representatives  and  sena- 
tors in  Congress  to  use  their  influence  to  obtain  a reduction  of  the 
rates  of  ocean  postage. 

4.  Those  who  are  acquainted  with  Senators  and  mefnbers  of 
Congress  should  address  them  by  letter,  soliciting  their  aid  in  pro- 
moting this  important  measure. 

5.  Endeavor  to  obtain  the  aid  of  the  press  in  your  neigh- 
borhood, that  all-powerful  engine  which  moves  and  directs  public 
opinion,  to  advocate  cheap  ocean  postage.  If  the  press  will  speak 
out  boldly  and  fearlessly  in  this  cause,  our  legislators  in  Congress 
will  not  turn  a deaf  ear  to  its  voice. 

6.  The  influence  of  the  clergy  of  every  denomination  should  be 
exercised  in  favor  of  this  cause,  but  especially  those  who  are  closely 
connected  with  our  adopted  citizens  and  the  millions  of  emigrants^ 
who  are  now  coming  to  make  this  country  their  home.  They 
have  left  behind  them  hundreds  of  thousands  of  relatives  and 
friends,  anxious  to  hear  of  their  welfare,  but  the  present  high 
rates  of  postage,  and  their  limited  circumstances,  prevent  them 
from  enjoying  this  pleasure.  Encourage  the  getting  up  of 
meetings  and  petitions  to  Congress,  in  favor  of  cheap  ocean  post- 
age, for  in  doing  this  you  will  be  instrumental  of  good,  and  the 
widow  and  fatherless,  and  the  stranger  in  the  land,  will  rise  up 
and  call  you  blessed. 

I am  aware  that  some  persons  will  object  to  the  rate  of  two 
cents , as  being  so  low  that  it  will  not  pay  the  expense  of  carrying 
the  mails  in  ocean  steamers.  To  this  I would  reply,  that  while 
the  transit  of  a letter  by  water  shall  be  charged  two  cents)  I pro- 
pose to  add  the  inland  postage  to  it,  whatever  that  rate  may  be. 
Hence,  according  to  our  present  rates,  a letter  to  Great  Britain 
from  the  United  States,  under  three  thousand  miles,  would  be 
charged  Jive  cents , and  over  that  distance  eight  cents. 


4 


To  yield  a revenue  equal  to  what  is  now  collected,  would  re- 
quire the  number  of  letters  to  be  increased  about  four-fold , and 
that  this  increase  would  speedily  take  place,  if  the  proposed  re- 
duction was  made,  may  be  proved  by  the  following  facts : 

1.  There  are  in  the  United  States  not  less  than  seven  millions 
of  persons  who  have  relations,  friends  and  correspondents  in  the 
Old  World,  and  yet  the  number  of  letters  has  remained  nearly 
stationary  at  four  and  a half  millions,  notwithstanding  the  vast 
number  of  emigrants  who  have  arrived  here  every  year.  Why 
is  this?  Because  the  high  rate  of  postage  is  a barrier  to  corres- 
pondence. Reduce  it  as  proposed,  and  where  one  letter  is  now 
written,  there  will  be  at  least  three. 

2.  Again,  this  high  rate  causes  hundreds  of  thousands  of  let- 
ters to  be  sent  by  passengers,  which,  if  the  postage  was  cheap, 
would  be  sent  by  the  mails.  There  would  then  be  no  inducement 
to  seek  any  other  mode  of  conveyance. 

3.  Should  the  postage  be  reduced  the  practice  of  writing  on 
thin  paper  and  enclosing  several  letters  in  one  envelope,  would  in 
a good  degree  cease.  They  would  be  sent  directly  to  their  ad- 
dress through  the  post  office,  instead  of  being  enclosed  to  corres- 
pondents for  delivery. 

I hope  not  to  be  charged  with  exaggeration,  when  I say  that,  in 
less  than  four  years,  the  number  of  transatlantic  letters,  instead  of  re- 
maining at  four  and  a half  millions,  as  they  have  done  for  several 
years  past,  will  be  increased  at  least  to  twenty  millions , which  at 
five  and  eight  cents  will  yield  an  amount  of  revenue  equal  to  what 
is  now  collected  from  ocean  postage.  Let  the  experiment  be  tried, 
and,  I am  persuaded,  it  will  prove  as  successful  as  it  has  on  in- 
land postage. 

The  limits  of  this  communication  will  not  allow  me  to  enlarge 
upon  the  necessity  and  advantages  of  the  proposed  reduction.  My 
object  is  to  place  before  you  a few  facts  to  demonstrate  the  im- 
portance of  this  change,  and  to  urge  you  to  adopt  active  measures 
to  accomplish  it.  Respectfully  yours, 

BARNABAS  BATES. 


23d  Congress, 
ls£  Session. 


[SENATE] 


Ex.  Doc. 
No.  122. 


MESSAGE 


FROM  THE 

PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 


COMMUNICATING, 

In  compliance  with  a resolution  of  the  Senate , biformatio7i  in  relation  to 
foreign  postal  arrangements , and  especially  cheap  ocean  postage. 


August  31,  1852. — Referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  Post  Office  and  Post  Roads, 
and  ordered  to  be  printed.  ' 


To  the  Senate  of  the  United  Slates  : 

In  answer  to  the  resolution  of  the  Senate  of  the  21st  instant,  re- 
questing information  in  respect  to  foreign  postal  arrangements,  and 
especially  cheap  ocean  postage,  1 transmit  a report  of  the  Secretary 
of  State,  and  the  documents  by  which  it  was  accompanied. 

MILLARD  FILLMORE. 

Washington,  August  31,  1852. 


Department  of  State, 

Washington,  August  30,  1852. 

The  Secretary  of  State,  to  whom  was  referred  the  resolution  of 
the  Senate  of  the  21st  instant,  requesting  the  President  “ to  furnish 
to  the  Senate  copies  of  any  correspondence,  not  heretofore  com- 
municated to  Congress,  between  the  Department  of  State  and  the 
diplomatic  agents  of  the  United  States  abroad,  with  regard  to  for- 
eign postal  arrangements,  and  especially  cheap  ocean  postage,  so 
far  as  the  same  can  be  done  without  detriment  to  the  public  in- 
terests,” has  the  honor  to  lay  before  the  President  an  extract  from 
a despatch  of  the  24th  of  October,  and  a copy  of  one  of  the  7th  of 
May  last,  addressed  to  this  department  by  the  minister  of  the 
United  States  at  London. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 

The  President  of  the  United  States. 


[No.  181.]  Legation  of  the  United  States, 

London , May  7,  1852. 

Sir  : I have  had  the  honor  to  address  you  on  several  occasions 
on  the  subject  of  our  postal  arrangements,  and  to  transmit  my  cor- 
respondence with  this  government  relative  to  the  rate  charged  for 


2 


S.  Doc.  122. 


(he  transit  of  postal  matter  in  closed  bags  through  England  to 
France.  In  my  despatch  No.  134,  of  the  24th  of  October  last,  and 
in  some  others  of  a subsequent  date,  and  in  private  letters  to  the 
Postmaster  General,  l expressed  the  opinion  that  the  postal  rates 
between  the  United  States  and  the  United  Kingdom  were  too  high, 
and  should  be  reduced.  About  four-tenths  of  the  postage  between 
the  two  countries  is  paid  in  Ireland,  and  the  ratio  is  steadily  in- 
creasing, in  consequence  of  the  large  Irish  population  in  the  United 
States,  and  the  emigration  still  going  forward.  The  revenue  de- 
rived from  this  branch  of  the  postal  service  is  no  longer  principally 
of  a commercial  character,  but  is  obtained  to  a large  extent  from 
the  correspondence  of  the  most  indigent  classes  of  society.  The 
tax  falls  mainly  upon  the  adopted  citizens  of  the  United  States,  or 
upon  those  who  have  sought  our  shores  with  the  expectation  of 
becoming  citizens.  , 

The  present  ocean  rate  for  letters  is  heavy,  and  very  dispropor- 
tionate to  the  low  inland  rates  adopted,  both  in  the  United  States 
and  the  United  Kingdom.  It  is  a great  impediment  in  the  way 
of  the  free  correspondence  so  important  to  the  moral  and  material 
interests  of  the  United  States. 

I am  unable  to  understand  why  a half-ounce  letter  should  be 
transported  three  thousand  miles  in  the  United  States  (often  in 
coaches,  wagons,  or  on  the  backs  of  horses)  at  a charge  of  three 
cents,  or  to  any  part  of  the  United  Kingdom  at  a charge  of  two 
cents;  while  the  rate  for  transporting  the  same  letter  by  ship 
(much  the  cheapest  mode  of  conveyance  known)  the  same  dis- 
tance across  the  ocean,  is  sixteen  cents,  I have  thought,  in  view 
of  the  great  advantages  enjoyed  under  our  system  of  cheap  post- 
age in  the  United  States,  and  the  long  and  happy  experience  in 
this  country  of  the  workings  of  a similar  system,  that  the  present 
time  might  not  be  deemed  unfavorable  for  proposing  to  extend  it 
to  the  ocean.  I had  supposed  that  probably  this  would  not  be  con- 
sidered a financial  question  by  the  government  of  the  United  States, 
but  one  of  a deeper  interest  to  the  people.  Considering  the  vast 
extent  of  our  country,  the  character  of  its  inhabitants,  its  consti- 
tution, its  laws,  its  free  institutions,  and  the  great  and  growing 
numbers  of  British-born  persons  among  us,  cheap  postage  between 
the  two  countries  must  produce  the  most  beneficial  results.  We 
have  much  to  gain  and  nothing  to  lose  by  adopting  it.  Our  se- 
curity for  the  preservation  of  our  popular  institutions  rests  upon 
the  enlightenment  of  the  people  and  the  extension  of  knowledge. 
Perhaps  nothing  does  more  to  diffuse  that  knowledge  than  the  con- 
stant correspondence  which  takes  place  among  the  people  of  the 
United  States;  and  were  it  extended  to  these  islands,  a corres- 
ponding advantage  would  be  gained,  as  well  as  a broader  founda- 
tion laid  for  the  maintenance  of  amicable  and  happy  relations  be- 
tween the  two  governments. 

After  our  experience  in  the  great  increase  of  correspondence  con- 
sequent upon  the  reduction  of  the  inland  rates  of  postage,  there 
cannot,  1 think,  be  much  doubt  that  a corresponding  increase  would 
take  place,  were  a reduction  made  in  the  sea-rates  between  this 
country  and  the  United  States.  It  would  seem  that  the  treasury 
of  the  United  Stales  is  in  a condition  to  try  this  experiment — if  it 
be  an  experiment.  During  the  first  two  or  three  years,  perhaps 


S.  Doc.  122. 


3 


some  aid  from  the  treasury  will  be  required.  But  it  seems  to  me 
that  the  amount  which  may  be  temporarily  necessary,  will  be  of 
small  importance  compared  with  the  immense  benefits  to  result 
from  it. 

If  anything  is  to  be  done  immediately  in  this  matter,  the  ex- 
ample must  be  set  in  the  United  States. 

1 think  that  the  great  body  of  the  people  of  this  country  are  in 
favor  of  the  system;  but  I have  some  doubt  whether  the  govern- 
ment will  not  view  the  question  entirely  in  a financial  light,  and 
be  unwilling  to  make  any  sacrifice.  They  maintain  a steam  navy, 
in  part  by  their  high  ocean  postal  rates,  to  almost  every  part  of  the 
globe.  During  the  great  Exhibition  of  1851,  an  association  was 
formed  for  the  purpose  of  promoting  a cheap  and  uniform  system 
of  international  postage  for  letters  and  printed  papers  ; and  a large 
committee  was  appointed,  which  has  had  the  subject  under  con- 
sideration. A few  days  since  several  of  those  gentlemen  called 
upon  me,  as  a deputation  from  the  general  committee,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  discussing  the  question.  Lord  Ashburton  is  the  chairman 
of  the  general  committee,  and  was  to  have  been  the  chairman  of 
the  deputation,  but  was  prevented  from  attending  by  illness.  The 
deputation  consisted  of  Sir  John  Boileau,  Bart.;  Sir  John  Bur- 
goyne,  K.  C.  B. ; William  Brown,  esq.,  M.  P. ; H.  Cole,  esq. ; and 
several  other  gentlemen  of  high  character  and  standing.  They 
stated  that  the  system  of  cheap  oceanic  postage  must  begin  in  the 
United  States;  that  when  commenced  it  would,  in  their  judgment, 
be  adopted  here  from  necessity,  as,  in  case  of  refusal  on  the  part 
of  this  government,  all  the  correspondence  between  the  two  coun- 
tries would  be  transmitted  by  American  vessels — since  no  govern- 
ment, in  the  present  state  of  opinion,  would  probably  wish  to  re- 
new the  severe  measui^s  pursued  towar.ds  the  AUashington — -andr 
that  their  efforts  would  now' be  given  to  effecting  a cheap  interna- 
tional postage  between  the  United  Kingdom  and  the  United  States. 

1 will  not  dwell  further  upon  tjiis  subject,  but  close  with  ex- 
pressing the  hope  that  at  the  present  session  of  Congress  the  ques- 
tion may  be  brought  before  it;  and  that,  in  its  wisdom,  it  may 
adopt  such  a measure  as  will  conduce  to  the  best  interests  of  our 
country. 

1 have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient 
servant,  ABBOTT  LAWRENCE. 

Hon.  Daniel  Webster, 

Secretary  of  Slate,  Washington , D.  C. 


Sir  : 


* 


Legation  of  the  United  States, 

London , October  21,  1851. 

# * * * * 


Our  continental  correspondence,  already  very  great,  is  daily  in- 
creasing, by  the  continued  emigration  from  Germany  and  other 
continental  States.  The  correspondence  between  the  Uniied  Stales 
and  the  United  Kingdom  also,  particularly  with  Ireland,  has  be- 
come of  vast  importance  to  the  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and 
is  likely  to  go  on  increasing  for  many  years  to  come.  In  view  of 
these  facts,  I respectfully  suggest  that  it  would  be  expedient  and 


S.  Doc.  122. 

just  to  effect  a large  reduction  in  the  ocean  postage  between  the 
two  countries. 

I have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  very  respectfully,  vonr  obedient 
servant,  ABBOTT  LAWRENCE. 

Hon.  Daniel  Webster, 

Secretary  of  State , Washington , D.  C. 


The  following  is  a copy  of  a petition : 

To  the  Honorable,  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States,  in  Congress  assembled.  The  Undersigned,  inhabitants  of  the  County  of 
and  State  of  respectfully  ask  of 

your  honorable  body,  to  reduce  the  present  burdensome  rates  of  ocean  postage  to 
a uniform  rate  of  two  cents  pre-paid , for  every  half  ounce,  to  which  may  be  added 
the  inland  postage  as  now  required  by  law. 


